Metal lath



Sept. 0, 1924. 1,508,050

' I H. C. CARROLL.

METAL LATH Fil ed Dec. 2, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept; 9, 924; Y I 1,508,050

H 0. CARROLL METAL LATH Filed Dec. 25 1922 2 sheetgrsheet 2 Fatented Sept. 9, 1924. I

HUGH c. season, or MoKEESPQBT, eeassnvmm.

TouZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, HUGH C. Cannons, a citizen of the United States, residing at McKeesport, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal Lathe, of which the following is a specified wall, a column or other structure.

It is av further object of the invention to provide a lath of the character described which will readily lend itselfto the reception of securing elements by means of which beams, oists, sills, rafters and the like may be securely anchored to the concrete.

Further objects and advantages of theinvention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a concrete slab having the lath of the present invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of a beam, which may be a sill, showing the same anchored to one of the dovetail sections of the lath;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the structure illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the lath used for reenforcing purposes and to unite a topping coat to the sub-structure of a floor and to unite a ceiling coat to the sub-structure of the ceiling; and i Fig. 5 is a plan view of a lath constructed in accordance with the invention.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

The lath of the present invention comprises a plurality of longitudinally extend.- ing dovetail portions 5 which, in the form of the invention illustrated in Fig.5 are united by web or tie portions 6 leaving openings 7 through which the finished coating 8 which may be the top coating of a floor 9, or the finished coating 10 of a ceiling 11, may come into uniting engagement with the METAL LATE-I. v n I Application fi led. December a, 1922. Serial No. 604,531.

substructure constituted by the slab 9 11. When a concrete floor, 9 is laid and before it has set, the metal lath illustrated in Fig.- 5 is pressed into the wet concrete to embed the dove-tail portions in said concrete, leaving the laths flush with the upper surface there I of. The cement top coating is then applied and some of this top coating unites with the base 9 through the opening 7. Additionally, some of this top coating enters the interior portions of the dovetail ribs 5 and forms a key therein.

Thus it will be observed that the metal lath lS ElI1b6lCl6d in the completed structure to sucha' depth as to constitutea distinct v reenforcement therefor and, in addition, serve the purpose of positively tying the surface course to the base.

While I may leave openings 7 through the connecting elements. which exte'nd between the dovetail rib 5, there are placeswhere it is desirable tohave these connecting elements consist of imperforate sheets. Such a structure is illustrated in Fig. 1 wherejo designates the longitudinally extending dovetail members and 6 designates imperforate connecting webs or plates which are adapted to rest upon the steel joists 12.. The:

metal lath in this case not only serves as a reenforcing element but it serves as a form, since it is manifest that no concrete can fall therethrough.

If it be desired to lay a wooden floor upon the floor base 13, this may be accomplished by embedding in the upper surface of the slab 13 one of the dovetail sections 5 of the metal lath, which dovetail section receives a correspondingly shaped end 14 of a metal tie 15, said tie being provided with an eye 16 which may have a nail 17 driven therethrough, said nail entering the sill 18 or other timber upon which the floor proper, indicated at 19, is to be laid. While I have shown a single dovetail section 5* there may be as many of these used as is necessary or a lath such as is illustrated in Fig. 5-may be employed and its dovetail sections may be utilized to receive the substantially triangu lar end portions of tie 15. An ordinary nail may be used, as indicated at 17 but, if desired, I may employ a special nail having a straight lower side, as illustrated at 1'2" in Fig. 2 and having its upper side at an angle,

tail sect-ion 5 when the nail is driven into place.

It is llllClQlSiOOCl that the invention is not limited to any particular size of lath nor gauge of material nor depth of dovetail with respect to the size of the lath for these be varied at will.

The dovetail lath illustrated in Fig. -l as supporting the finished coating 10 of a ceiling may be placed upon the wooden form when the slab 11 is formed and when these forms are taken down the slab is left with the embedded concrete metal laths ready to receive the course 10. This construction has another advantage in that it supports the usual metal reenforcing rods 20 a material distance above the bottom of the slab 11, and insures that no part of this reei'iforcing will be visible at the surface of the slab 11.

In applying the fasteners illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, it is not necessary that the triangular lower portions of the ties 15 be inserted from an end of the dovetail. The laying of the fioer illustrated in Fig. 1 may be carried out as follows: After the base course 13 has set. dovetail sections 5* are cleaned out and then the sills or sleepers '18 are laid at suitable points thereon. The triangular lower portions of the ties are inserted in the dovetails with the eyes at right angles to the position illustrated in Fig. 1 and they are then given a quarter turn to bring them to the position illustrated in Fig. 1 after which an ordinary eight penny nail or the special nail described is driven into place. This process is carried out first at one side of the sleeper and then at the other. After the sleepers have been securely tied in place in the manner described the finished floor, indicated at 19 is laid thereon in the usual manner. By virtue of this construction it is not necessary to pay for beveling the sleepers on both sides and setting them in concrete as has hereto fore been the practice. Furthermore by this arrangement the laying of floors on green concrete is avoided. Frequently a builder is face to face with the alternative of either laying his floors on green concrete with the likelihood of having the floor buckle as result, or else wait a week for the concrete to dry before laying the finished floor. The arrangement shown and described results in a marked saving of time with consequent result in economy. Additionally, it is pointed out that this arrangement provides a larger air space beneath the floor proper which is not only good for the floor but makes the floor more sound-proof.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

A metal lath made from a single piece of flat metal and comprising a plurality of parallel dove-tailed hollow ribs and outstanding fianges along the free edges of said ribs, laterally extending connecting portions lying in the plane of and integral with said flanges, said dove tail portions being spaced apart a distance materially greater than their own width.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

HUGH o. CARROLL. 

